A furious mother was asked to leave a school carnival by police officers after she confronted one of her daughter's alleged bullies in the playground. Michelle says the Year Two student has been teased relentlessly at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School in Sydney's inner-west for the past 18 months.
On the final day of last term, the protective mum confronted one of her child's alleged bullies in the playground after finding out the seven-year-old had been called a 'f***ing piece of s***' a day earlier. Michelle asked the girl: 'What did you call my daughter yesterday?' The girl replied: 'I didn't say that.'
Michelle told news.com.au that she did not use aggressive language, but the school still decided to ban her from the playground and all school events. The school confirmed Michelle's ban in a letter, which stated she did not have the consent of the girl's parents or the school when she approached her. She now has to drop off her daughter at the school gate and pray she is left alone.
A police officer confronted Michelle as she sat on a bench while watching the carnival. Michelle thought it would be fine to attend an off-campus school carnival at Sylvania on Tuesday, so she was surprised when the school called the police. The school explained that Michelle was the subject of a 'banning order' and was not allowed to be at the carnival.
But the mum stood firm, telling officers she was 'infuriated' with the situation. 'This entire situation is such bulls***,' she told police. 'I've got a seven-year-old who is talking about wanting to end her life... holding that kid accountable for bullying her is exactly what's got me in this situation. Yet her parents, this kid's parents are here.' She added that the school has been 'protecting the bullies and their parents'.
Michelle claims she has reported the bullying to the school numerous times after her daughter expressed suicidal thoughts and began suffering panic attacks. She claims being asked to leave the school carnival only brought more attention to her daughter and further exclusion.
A spokeswoman for Sydney Catholic Schools told the Daily Mail: 'We have clear policies and procedures in place to prevent and respond to bullying, and all staff and schools are required to act in accordance with these frameworks. Sydney Catholic Schools also maintains a Parent Charter which sets clear expectations for parent behaviour within school environments. Where these expectations are not met, action may be taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students, staff and the broader school community. We do not tolerate bullying behaviours in any form from parents or students and we remain committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for every student and our staff members. We can confirm that the school has followed all appropriate processes, is actively managing the situation, and has safety and wellbeing supports in place.'
Sydney Catholic Schools says it is currently reviewing the matter. Daily Mail has contacted Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School for comment.
